Portable stage



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July 17, 1951 c. w. KYLE ErAL PORTABLE STAGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1950 IIYVWRS Zanden QM Zlwmlia d ATTORNEYS July 17, 1951 c. w. KYLE 'Ei-AL 2,560,878-

PORTABLE STAGE Filed July 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS' Juiy 17, 1951 y c. w. KYLE EN. 2,560,878

PORTABLE STAGE Filed July e, 195o ,4 sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Patented July 17, 1951 .UNITED STATes PATENT OFFICE 2,560,878 coeraLE STAGE Claude W. Kyle and Thomas E. Holland,

'Nolzornia Fla.

applicati@ Juli .6, 1950, vSerial 1Y0-172,262

2 Claires. (Ci. Y29T- 15123) This invention ,relates to `building structure, -and more particularly to a portable stage for theatrical performances.

An object of the invention is to provide a the.- atricalvstage of practical proportions, `utilizing the body of a trailer truck as part of the supporting structure, and Vso constructed that al1 of there@ movable elements employed in the stage can I,be readily packed Within that trailer for transportation from place to place.

A further object of the invention to provide an improved stage for theatrical performances `with v`an orchestra balcony positionedbeneath the v,stage level and adjacent the footlights .or the front of the stage, as is conventional practice in stationary stages.

A .further object of the invention is to provide aportable stage for theatrical performances in which .the stage floor is located at an elevated ylevel withrespect to the ground so as to permit tthe use of the stage in connectionwith drive-in ,theater lots now proving so popular, and permitting theoccupants of vehicles a desirable View of `the stage.

A iurther object of the invention is to provide aportable stage for theatrical performanceswith means including the trailer body for permitting the ready but protective access tothe stage floor ,from theground.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of the following detaileddescription- .The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts ,hereinafter more particularly described and.

v'from the rear of the trailer;

Figure i is a transverse cross section taken on line 4 6 of. Figurezl ;;.andv

Figure 5 is a fragmentary exploded vperspecvvice employedfor connecting the dernountable feller-nencini. the. Stase- In accordance with the present invention, the stage incorporates as an integral part thereof .45 Figure 3 isa side View of the erected .stage 50 @tive illustrating therconventional connecting de- .to tlieQs-ide Walll of thel trailer, l

the body of a trailer truck T of substantiallyrec-f tangular shape, having side and end walls l, a roof, ground contacting wheels 2 adjacent its rear A`end of conventional construction and auxiliary ground contacting means 3 adjacent its front end for supporting the front end when the same is disconnected from the towing vehicle. A11 of the structure thus far enumerated is convene ional and will be assumed to embody conventional structural members.

Distinguishing the trailer body T from theconyentional is the provision in one side Wall of ,a door opening t adjacent the ceiling, and linthe opposite side Wall of a door opening 6 adjacent the iloor with an end door opening li in the rear endet ,the trailer body,

.Secured to the kroof or" the vehicle in the ,embodirnent herein illustrated, although it will vbe `understood that the roof of the vehicle may, if

desired, be utilized for the purpose, is a section .'I of the stage door coextensivefin length and ywidth `with the vroof of the trailer body. Secured `to one of the longitudinal edges of the lsection 1 .by hinges le, is a second floor section 8 of substantially the same length and Width as the section '1, and secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of ythe section t, as by hinges il, is a third iioor section@ substantially coextensive in length ,and width with the sections r'i and 3. The hinges lIlland l I are so arranged that the section 9 can be folded on the hinges ll as indicated by the arrow a (see Figure 4), and the folded sections ,l and-9 can in `turn be ioldedv on the hinges Il) asfindicated by the arrow h in that ligure, so

Ythat thesections S and S will lie parallel with land-securedin that position byadjustable piers y2!) having screw feet 2l, by means of, which anyinequalities in the ground can 'bev eliminated, and preferabli7 these screw feet 2i' will be placed ,on ground contacting blocks 2i! to minimize settlement of the top soil.

Portable stairs l2 of sufficient heighttoreach frornthe. ground level, uponrwhehthe ,Wheels of thetrfail'er are restinatothe iioerof'zthetrailer ,are adjustably connected to the rearendof v4the `trailer.adjacent the door opening d, these'stairs keine prefaatnprovides wahrend rang .sa

,A catwailr ifi* isprovided, rem nvably.c c intrested .o ,witbier-riti@ floor sections 8 and il hinge ad cent the door 3 opening 6, and this catwalk is also preferably provided with hand rails I5, the catwalk extending in erected position at right angles to the side wall of the trailer and under the extended floor sections 8 and 9 of the stage floor.

A second portable stairs l 6 is provided extending from the outer end of the catwalk I4 to the level of the stage floor through a suitable opening I8 provided in the outermost oor section 9, and this stair section I6 is preferably provided with hand rails Il, whereby a safe and convenient passageway is provided from the ground adjacent the rear end of the trailer, through the trailer body, over the catwalk and to the stage floor, all from beneath the stage floor.

An orchestra balcony B is preferably formed in two symmetrical sections 22--23, each formed with complementary flanges 24 adjacent their confronting ends, by means of which flanges the two sections can be bolted together, as by bolts 25 in longitudinal alignment. These balcony sections are removably attached to the side wall of the trailer opposite that against which the floor sections hinge, and adjacent the door opening 5, thus providing access to the orchestra balcony from the interior of the trailer body. y It will be understood that any desirable mechanical means may be utilized for associating the various removable and demountable parts hereinabove described, but in Figure is illustrated what is believed to be an effective form of detachable connection illustrated as associated with complementary floor rafters 2S adapted to be positioned under the extended floor sections 8 and 9 to give added rigidity to those sections, and this connection comprises an angle bracket 21 riveted or otherwise secured to the end of the iioor rafter 26 and a socket 28 riveted or otherywise secured to the side wall of the trailer. Similar socket and tongue connections 30-31 are provided for the balcony sections in connection with the opposite side wall of the trailer, and lsimilar connections can be utilized for the stair vand catwalk connections, but not herein illustrated.

As herein illustrated, demountable structural elements for forming a superstructure, rear and side walls and roof, are provided as indicated at S, which superstructure framework can be covered with canvas or other suitable material, not shown.

1t is contemplated that the balcony sections, stair sections and catwalk, together With the vfloor supporting piers and blocks 22, can all readily be contained within the body of the trailer for purposes of transportation, together with other material, such as scenery and stage props, thus providing a very convenient mode of transportation and permitting the rapid assembling of the completed stage in each new location.

Various modifications in the mechanical details will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but within the scope of the A present invention as claimed.

prising a plurality of rectangular sections, one

4 section being fixed to said body in a horizontal plane overlying the roof and projecting slightly beyond that side having the floor level doorway, the other sections being hingedly connected serially in side by side relation respectively to the projecting side edge of said xed section and t0 one another whereby they may be extended horizontally in the plane of the xed section or folded parallel to the adjacent side of saidbody in occlusive relation to the doorway in said adjacent side, the terminal section of said stage floor having a cutout portion forming a stair well, a cat walk demountably secured to said adjacent side at the doorway in said side, a demountable staircas-e extending from the remote end of said catwalk to said stair Well when said stage floor is extended, and a demountable staircase from the ground to said rear doorway, said staircases, the floor of said body, said catwalk, and said stair well forming an access passage to said stage oor, an orchestra balcony demountably secured to the outside of that side of said body which has the elevated doorway, at the level of said doorway, said balcony having a closed side wall substantially concealing said elevated doorway, whereby the passing of actors through said access passage beyond said rear doorway is concealed from an audience facing the side of said trailer having the orchestra balcony. l j 2. Portable stage comprising a trailer having a substantially rectangular roofed body including a floor, the rear end and one side of said body having respectively a rear doorway and a side doorway, both at the level of the body iloor, a sectional stage door unitary with said body comprising a plurality of rectangular sections, one section being xed to said body in a horizontal plane overlying the roof and projecting slightly beyond that side having the floor level doorway, the other sections being hingedly connected serially in side by side relation respectively to the projecting side edge of said fixed section and to one another whereby they may be extended horizontally in the plane of the xed section or folded parallel to the adjacent side of said body in oc- Aclusive relation to the doorway in said adjacent lat the doorway in said side, a demountable staircase extending from the remote end of said catwalk to said stair well when said stage floor is extended, and a demountable staircase from the ground to said rear doorway, said staircases, the

floor of said body, said catwalk, and said stair well forming an access passage to said stage floor, whereby the passing of actors through said access passage, beyond said rear doorway, is concealed from an audience facing the side of said trailer opposite the side having the floor-level doorway.

CLAUDE W. KYLE. THOMAS E. HOLLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number y Name Date 467,423 Merritt Jan. 19, 1892 1,156,693 Koger Oct. 12, 1915 f 2,344,726 Podolin Mar. 21, 1944V 

